


Ink'ed

by rayofsun936



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Character Study, Magical Tattoos, Multi, Platonic Soulmates, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:41:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23083402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayofsun936/pseuds/rayofsun936
Summary: Tattoos appear throughout one’s life. The reasons and meanings behind them depend on who you ask. The Team share theirs.
Relationships: Artemis Crock/Wally West, Dick Grayson & Wally West, Dick Grayson/Wally West, Kon-El | Conner Kent/M'gann M'orzz
Kudos: 98





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Skin Deep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2022006) by [whitchry9](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitchry9/pseuds/whitchry9). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their Individual Stories

Dick Grayson has had a tattoo on his body as far back as he can remember. The first to appear was a circus tent located smack dab in the middle of his stomach. Striped in red and white, with tiny flags on top. He loved his tattoo. It represented his whole world. Signifying that he was a circus brat for life.

The first time he is allowed on the trapeze leads to instantaneous love for it. The feeling of flying, to be weightless, is the best feeling in the world. Nothing could ever replace it. It’s in his blood to fly, just like the rest of his family. By the time evening rolls around a trapeze materializes on the top half of his left arm. Dick sprints from trailer to trailer to show off his newest addition. Having two tattoos at the age of seven is an amazing feat and his whole world deserves to know it. He reluctantly comes in for dinner when his father threatens to shorten his trapeze time for tomorrow.

His parents fall. A brand sears its way on to his body. Like the nightmares and PTSD aren’t enough. He makes sure it never sees the light of day. Always to be hidden behind sleeves and plaster. It is no longer an amazing feat to have three tattoos at the age of nine. More than any other nine-year-old should ever have. They are no longer a prize to show off.

He ends up finding himself living in some old person’s house. He hazily recalls that said old person is a millionaire, or billionaire of some sort. Either way he is now inhabiting a mansion, with a butler, the biggest pool he has ever seen, and a million hallways to explore. None of that matters though. It’s not home. It’s not his home. His home fell with his family.

It turns out that he has been living with The Batman this whole time. The Batman let him help bring Tony Zucco, the instigator of his family’s deaths, to justice. The Batman then grants him the privilege of becoming his ~~sidekick~~ partner. Robin joins the night sky to honor those lost. Life is now looking up. Bonus about becoming a superhero is receiving high-tech tattoo coverings for secret IDs and keep his public life hidden from the bad guys. All that really matters now is that his skin is now a clean slate, unmarked and pure.

He patiently waits multiple years for his Robin logo to pop up. This is peculiar for Robin is a major part of his life, and Bruce has the Batman logo, so by extent he should have Robin.

He’s still waiting.

… … …

Artemis doesn’t have a tattoo. She does have scars though. From her father none the less. Man, does she hate him. He ruined everything. Her life, Jade’s life, and especially her mom’s life. If she ever sees his ugly bastard face again she is going to deliver a few fists and words. Artemis WILL put herself on the path of good and REJECT the family business. So, she picks up a bow and a handful of arrows and starts running around the city. Stopping a petty theft here, knocking out a few bullies there. Every now and then a mugger will find themselves unconscious. It feels good. Undoing the work her family did.

Who would have predicted that her nightly excursions would draw the attention of The Justice League?! Well, technically not the whole Justice League. Only Batman and Green Arrow showed up in the living room of the apartment she is currently inhabiting. But THE Batman and THE Green Arrow are in HER apartment at this exact moment of HER life and are offering HER a JOB as A SUPERHERO.

Not an actual job per-say, an apprenticeship is more accurate, but she is calling it a job. To become a superhero! How awesome is that?! She can’t say yes fast enough for her liking but in the end, she still receives a high tech, form fitting costume and a very nice assortment of arrows. Not just your average pointy arrows found at your local hunting shop but explosive arrows, puddy arrows, gas emitting arrows and others she hasn’t been able to try out yet. Like WHAT is her life now? The job also comes with weekly training sessions with THE Green Arrow and a new compound bow custom fit for her. This is what she calls THE Life.

She is also offered some kind of skin attachment meant to hide any visible tattoos that aren’t covered up by her costume. Purpose to protect her regular life. She declines the offer, ensuring that she doesn’t have any tattoos that NEED covering. No way is she ever going to mention that she lacks in the tattoo department. That would be an embarrassing confession. No tattoos at age sixteen, not even one. Majority of people have A tattoo by this age. Tattoos are irrelevant at this point anyways. She is a fucking superhero now. No one cares how many tattoos a superhero has. A superhero is a superhero regardless of their tattoo count. Right?

It happens, it finally fucking happens. It is long, and thin, and green and perfect. Piercing its way through her upper arm, shining in its radiance. Her life has meaning, her life has value. SHE is worth a damn.

… … …

Kaldur’ahm is born with the eel tattoos that run down his arms. Signifying that he is gift for an innate affinity for the mystic arts. He is promptly enrolled in Atlantean Sorcery classes as soon as he becomes of age to do so. Through his studies he meets his best friend Garth, and through Garth, Tula. The three of them tear through their classes, being the brightest of their generation. Kaldur loves his life. It is simple and full of happiness, but there is an itch that he can’t scratch. Feeling there is more waiting for him, past Shayeris, Poseidonis, his sorcery classes, and the ocean itself.

The battle for the throne is at an end. He and Garth were able to get to the King in time. Atlantis is safe once again. He accepts the offer to see the surface world. To learn to walk and feel the pull of gravity. It hurts to leave Garth and Tula behind. It is scary to learn to walk and breath in a different world.

Doubts still hide in the corners of his mind. Fearing that leaving his life behind to become Aqualad, is a mistake. Hesitation brews as he learns that being the leader giving commands to his comrades is different and more difficult than being the solider that carries out the commands. Regret upon the discovery that his time away from home strengthens the bond between Garth and Tula while simultaneously weakens his.

That is until the Aquaman symbol proudly stands on his back, connecting the twin eels he grew up with.

… … …

Conner has no concern for tattoos. He knows of the cultural significance of them, the Gnomes taught him all about world culture. Conner learns on his own that understanding a concept is different than truly understanding.

It clicks when Wolf and Sphere show up in his life. A portrait of Wolf and Sphere manifest on his right leg. He likes to believe they are playing tag with each other. His family that he created himself. Tattoos _have_ meaning and value.

It takes a while for his next addition to appear. It fluxgates in and out of existence on the palm of his left hand. The Superman symbol, never fully present while never fully faded. It starts semi-existing after the disastrous simulation training. It isn’t until after Conner makes peace with ~~Superman~~ Kal-El that the tattoo fully manifests itself. Kal-El is someone to aspire to be, and a helpful big brother to look up to.

… … …

M’gann doesn’t really understand the importance of having these pictures appear on the skin of humans. She attributes it to the fact that she is a shapeshifter. Having the ability to manipulate her own body into the shapes and colors she desires. She figures that being a Martian also contributes to the disconnect, the difference in cultural and universal views.

She decides to give herself some in an attempt to understand. First a butterfly on her upper left shoulder after revealing of her true form to the Team. Then the Logan Animal Sanctuary logo on her right hip when she takes custody of Gar.

The tattoos give her a sense of completion. She lives among humans now. She will express herself in a human way.

… … … 

Roy _loves_ the whole tattoo concept and philosophy. You receive a tattoo when you do something really cool, or find something you super like, or discover the next big thing. He currently only has a trail of feathers swirling down the back of his left leg, and an eagle on the back of his neck, but that’s ok. He is more accurate with his bow and arrows now, which means that he is closer to being able to fight crime, abolish evil and save a lot of people so, he’ll be covered in tattoos in no time. No problem.

 _Screw_ the mythical mysterious force that makes tattoos appear. They _clearly_ don’t like him. He dedicates his life to acts of heroism and the tattoos have the audacity stay away. He is absolutely positive that being a superhero would lead to a lot of life worthy events for multiple tattoos to appear but _noooo._ Apparently saving lives isn’t heroic enough, isn’t worthy enough. That’s fine. He is perfectly fine with this. His current drought of tattoos is okay. He already has a couple. He can wait a while for his next one to finally make itself known. If tattoos want to be stubborn, then he can be stubborn back.

He learns the truth. He’s a clone. That’s why he hasn’t been able to gain a new tattoo in _years_. He isn’t a real person. Only _real_ people earn tattoos. The tattoos marking his body are memories from another. Roy, the Original Roy earned the tattoos that currently stain his body. They don’t belong to him.

As soon as he makes his way out of the conference room he takes the closest zeta tube to the most reliable tattoo parlor he knows of. No questions are asked when he requests for tattoo removals. It is none of their business to ask why a person wishes for a tattoo to be inked or removed. The tattoo artist takes a minuet to admire the images he is about to exterminate. Soon replacing them with a single red arrow running from shoulder to wrist, giving the illusion of a fully strung bow even when no arrow is notched. He feels more at peace with himself now. He is Red Arrow.

Red Arrow is ready to look for the Original Roy Harper.

Red Arrow spends years searching for the Original Roy, nothing. Nothing nothing nothing. He feels like he is stuck in limbo. Every day is the same. Get up to be a hero, save a citizen to prove that he is a hero, search for Original Roy, don’t find Original Roy, go to bed tattoo-less. It has to be because he is a clone, he shouldn’t even exist. He isn’t a real human. Why would the universe want to help someone who should have never existed in the first place?

He goes out and gets a himself more tattoos. A set of cherry blossoms floating down his right side for a recent mission from Taipei. Cross hairs on his left shoulder blade. It’s to prove to that he is a _real person_. To reinforce the fact that he _isn’t_. Or is he?

It isn’t until Lian showed up in his life and the _real_ Roy Harper is found that he starts believing that he is _real person_. Lian’s name shows up on his right bicep. His very _first_ tattoo earned all by himself. It is his and only his. He checked. Original Roy doesn’t have her name printed on him. Instead Original has a few others that he doesn’t.

Maybe the mythical mysterious force doesn’t absolutely hate him. Maybe, he can make a life to call his own.

… … …

Wally _knows_ that there has to be a scientific explanation for everything. “Mythical Magical Forces” don’t exist, nor do they control tattoo appearance, _Roy_. Working theory being that tattoos appear because of a significant life changing event. This is just a loose theory that has made its way through the science circles, because no one has bothered to do actual research to prove the theory wrong or right. Why should they? “Tattoos just happen. You don’t need an explanation. It has happened since humanity began, just accept it.” Yah right. He was going to get to the bottom of it.

Despite his search and _need_ for a scientific explanation for tattoo manifestation he truly enjoys their existence in the same sense as the rest of society. With the most popular working theory being that tattoos will flock to a person with passion. So, he will not be held accountable for playing up living life to the fullest. He makes sure to be constantly moving and charging head strong into the next thing that peaks his interest. He sees results in his hypothesis with the number of tattoos currently littering his body.

A mini volcano on his upper right chest after winning his first science competition at age 5. He insists on going to a science camp that summer.

A bag of chicken whizzes on his lower left stomach once Uncle B introduced him to the food of G-ds. He creates a goal to eat every possible alternate flavor of chicken whizzes.

A microscope on the inner side of his left ankle. He intensely researches the Flash.

He then proceeds to blow himself up. A streak of silver lightning is running down his right leg by the end of the week. 

The sliver continues to spread. He is thrilled.

The phrase “If you’re going” pop up on his right shoulder-blade. It feels incomplete, and familiar.

The Helmet of Fate makes its unwanted presence on the outside of his left ankle. He mourns a friend.

A mini explosion surrounds the odd string of words. Explosions are cool! But lately not so much.

A heart surrounded by a crown makes it way on his left shoulder. He smiles softly at this one.

The words turn a shade of electric blue. Now he’s worried. Tattoos don’t just change colors. They can fade and brighten but not swap colors. He turns to Dick in search of answers.

He helps save the Justice League from the Light. The view from space is out of this world.

The word “Spitfire” on his right wrist has a green arrow weaving between the letters. He and Artemis are accepted to the same college.

The silver lightning stops spreading. He can vibrate through walls now. Uncle B better watch out cause he is no longer the only speedster that can vibrate through walls.

Then everything starts to slowly fall apart.

Gar’s mom dies because of Queen Bee.

His speed starts causing him excruciating pain. Leading to the discovery that the formula printed on his lower back is flawed. He pushes through.

Tula dies on a mission. Mortality is more real than ever.

He quits the team with Artemis.

The Reach invades.

Artemis goes deep undercover behind enemy lines. Wally finds himself filled with constant worry for her safety.

He finds himself fighting with Dick to gain some control of his life. It doesn’t make him feel better.

The Reach’s plan is foiled. The Light is broken in half.

Artemis is alive and safe. He can have civilized conversations with Dick again. He can keep his pain under control.

Life is looking up. 

He finds himself in Paris with Artemis.

He is in the Arctic with Uncle B and Bart. He is pain. He is Running, and Running, and Running. 

Everything stops.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team gets together

The Team used to have hang out nights back when it was just the six of them. Hasn’t happened in recent times because… well, between civilian life, hero duties, the Reach Invasion, Wally being missing for a while and other earth-shattering events, getting the original Team together is… difficult. Add Will and it is almost impossible. Almost. Tonight they are all finally together in the Warehome just hanging out. No mission. No costumes. Just them.

Artemis is finishing placing the last of the snacks on the table when she hears a crash coming from the basement.

“Conner you better not have put a hole in the wall again! Or I swear I’ll break your hands so you won’t be able to fix bikes for months!”

“It wasn’t me. I haven’t put a hole in the wall since we were teenagers,” Conner shouts back as he approaches the basement entrance.

“Technically you are still a ‘Tweenager’ since you are still under 13 years of age.” Kaldur teases. “So how can the last time you have broken a wall been when you were a teenager?”

M’gann giggles at the exchange. Connor rolls his eyes and opens the door, only to be greeted by the sight of pizza boxes and a tangle of limbs. “Pizzas Here!” He swiftly rescues the pizzas from the idiotic duo.

“I told you that that road doesn’t exist anymore!”

“Well _excuse_ me for getting lost. I am not used to traveling from Star City to Bludhaven. Whose idea was it to put a town in the middle of nowhere anyways?”

“Isn’t Keystone City located in the middle of nowhere?”

“Hey! You don’t get to talk about my home city like that.”

Dick and Wally continue to shove their way up the stairs as Kaldur is passing around plates of pizza to the rest of the party.

“It’s nice to see you two again.” M’gann states as she sits couch next to Conner. “How was your trip over?”

Dick decides to answer because Wally was already busy shoving pizza in his face. “We picked up the pizza, got lost, and eventually found our way here. We would have gotten here sooner if Wally looked at a map before we left. I thought your power was super speed? Did it change in last couple of years?”

“You know damn well that the only power I have is super speed! And excuse me for not having GPS as my power. As I already told you I am unused to taking the trip from Star to Blüd. Keystone to Gotham I have memorized.”

“I told you before we left the pizza place that the roads have changed in the past few years. New cities are developing, etcetera.”

“Why didn’t you Zeta?” Conner’s question prompted everyone to stare at the duo. Dick and Wally stared back with their mouths open, unable to defend themselves.

_Recognized Red Arrow 21_

“Sorry for being late. Lian forgot her ballet shoes, had to go back and pick them up.” Will catches on to the silence in the room. “Okay… what did I miss?” Will turns towards the suspected culprits. “What did you two do?”

“Why do you people always assume it’s us?”

“Yah, what have we done to deserve this kind of treatment?”

“More like what haven’t you done to deserve this kind of treatment.” Will helps himself to half of the box of meat lovers and grabs three cans of his preferred alcoholic beverage.

The rest of dinner proceeds to relay every plunder Dick and Wally have gotten themselves into in the past decade.

… … …

Once everyone has eaten their fill Conner heads up to the loft to bring down the gaming system.

“Remind me why you designed the place to have a game room upstairs when we mainly play down stairs?”

“I thought it best to have it next to the bedrooms to keep the distance as small as possible. So you can play from the bedroom if you wanted.”

“The screen would still be in the other room.” For the second time that night Dick can’t conjure up an adequate answer.

They decide to play Mario cart for the night. They all play a lazy warmup round and then roll a d20 for tournament line up.

First up is Conner vs Kaldur, a fair matchup. Bets are placed and the match begins. It’s a close game with Kaldur wining by half a second.

Next up is Wally vs M’gann. M’gann starts off in the lead cause Wally struggles with the slow reaction time of the buttons. In the end Wally wins with even a smaller margin than Kaldur did.

Finally Dick, Artemis and Will have a three way faceoff. This round lasts the longest because it ends up being the most aggressive match of the night. Shells and banana peels are tossed left and right, feet in faces, and outside saboteurs are brought in. By the end of the match Will is being retrieved from falling into the lava for the eighth time, Artemis is recovering from her sixth red shell, and Dick crosses the finish line in 10th place.

The finals being Kaldur vs Wally vs Dick on Rainbow Road. Wally has a strategy just for this specific moment and is excited to see it through. They begin and he lets them all finish their first lap in relative peace.

“You know…” Wally is greeted with a foot to his face. Speeding the foot out of his way he continues. “I bet Princess Peach and Mario have soulmate tattoos shaped as a castle surrounded by lava. Cause that is the only interaction they have.” Dick lets out an indignant screech. Got him.

“There is no WAY that Princess Peach and Mario are soulmates just because they are constantly separated by Bowser.” Dick and Wally start shoving each other in an attempt to more aggressively sabotage the other. Kaldur silently slips into first place with the bullet boost, crowning him the champion of the night.

“I believe Luigi and Mario are more likely to have soulmate tattoos than Mario and Peach.” Dick and Wally pause at Kaldur’s comment and discover that he has won. They both flop back and groan in defeat.

“Oh. That reminds me! Conner and I now have Soulmate tattoos!” M’gann announces. Conner has a very pleased and proud look on his face.

This is thrilling news to the Team. They had a rough patch in their relationship during the Invasion and seeing how happy they are together now is such a relief. Having the soulmate tattoos just shows the world what the Team has known all along.

“So how does the soulmate tattoo work for your both? Being different species and all.” Dick questions.

“Oh! Well I felt it happen in my brain then I flew over to Conner to see if he felt it too. Due to us sharing a mind link most of the time, and when I reach him he just shows me his right shoulder and there it is. So I just took his physical appearance of it and morphed it on my skin.” Megan then proceeded to show hers. It’s on her right shoulder. An infinity symbol.

“A very fitting mark for you both. Congratulations” Kaldur really does like the specific marking that connects both of their souls. For all the struggles they have been through together, no matter how tough they will always find their way back to each other

Artemis looks over towards Wally and Dick, silently asking if they want to share theirs but they declined. Still wanting to keep it their secret. Artemis respects that.

“Yo Will” Wally shouts across the room. “Got any new ones? Inked or _Inked_?” Everyone knows about Will adding his own when he thinks it necessary.

Will groans a bit, trying to sit up and think of any tattoos that he wants to share. “None really worth mentioning. I have cherry blossoms floating down my rights side from a mission in Taipei.”

Well that is about as much as we are going to get out of Will for now. Artemis then decides to keep the conversation going. “Kaldur. How about you?”

“Well yes. I have one of Tula’s mystic markings. Smaller scale though. Still recognizable as hers” Kaldur mentions. “Apologies for not sharing it earlier. I wasn’t ready at our other meetings.”

“Does Wynnd know?” Will asks in curiosity.

“Yes” Kaldur replies smoothly. “Wynnd knows. His is actually next to Tula’s. I also have received an image of a Manta helmet on my left fin.”

Silence rings in the room. Will takes a strong swing from his beer and then gets up to retrieve another. He was so not dealing with this.

“That really sucks Kaldur” Conner states softly.

“Thank you for your sympathy Conner. I have come to terms with it and do not believe that it is all in bad fortune.” Kaldur replies.

Connor looks a bit conflicted at that statement. Looks a M’gann then proceeds to take a few deep breaths. “A few months ago there was a mini fire with the freshmen of the team and my hair somehow got in the middle of it. Had a bold spot for a few days, cause part Kryptonian. Anyways this revealed that I have a tattoo of Lex Luther’s logo on my head.” Will falls off his chair and then proceeds to chug his bottle.

The silence continues. No one knowing what to say to make him feel better.

“You two are being uncharacteristically quiet” Will motions towards Dick and Wally in a moment of clarity. “Anything new and exciting with yall?”

“Well…” Wally got an evil kind of grin on his face. “I do have a new addition now that you mention it.” Wally is rolling up his left pant leg and there a DNA sequence that has been added to the collection of molecules already there.

“Common babe,” Artemis says “you have to explain what molecule it is. Not everyone knows science as much as you do.”

Wally makes a face at his girlfriend. “It is not a _molecule_. It’s the DNA sequence of an inactivated Meta-Gene.”

Dick’s smile gets even wider with the new information. This tattoo has to be really new Artemis notes, for it looks like Wally hasn’t had time to show Dick before everyone else.

“That is so asterus dude!!” They proceed to high five each other.

“Right! Everyone at the lab has one. Pretty Cool!” Wally starts poking Dick. “Your turn dude. What you got?”

“Now that you mention it.” Dick also got an evil grin on his face and proceeds to pull down his pants.

“SLOW DOWN MAN!!! WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE THAT!!” Wally screams. Kaldur looks amused at their antics. It is refreshing. Will ends up shifting around so see what all the shouting is about, since he just recently passed out on the floor.

“Chill I am just doing the one side, and only down enough to show you.” Dick replies. He continues pulling down the left side of his pants down to reveal the Nightwing tattoo right above his hip. “Oh! That one. I like that one.” Wally then proceeds to refill his and Dicks glass.

Artemis is very happy to see it. Knowing how disappointed he was when the Robin symbol never appeared.

“Ok Artemis, your turn.” Wally looks at her with the most caring smile he has. This gives Artemis the courage to finally show everyone one she has kept to herself for a while.

“This one is in dedication to Jade. My sister” She proceeds to lift her shirt off to display the Chesire grin on the left side of her middle back. “I reconciled with my sister a while back and we have made peace with each other.”

M’gann is smiling, happy with the thought that Artemis is getting along with her sister now. Conner grunts his approval.

“I am glad that you and your sister are happier together. This is great news.” Kaldur being polite and courteous as ever.

… … …

The night proceeds in that manner. Not all the tattoos being showed off are new, some have had their story told many times before. Anything to keep talking and showing off to each other.

Kaldur with a knife on a leg. Will with Lian’s name on his bicep. Dick’s HAHA on the bottom of his feet. Either for the Joker or his ability to make everyone smile and laugh. It is an on-going debate. Wally’s mass of lighting racing up his back, weaving between the other occupants, deciding to grow some more after its years of hiatus.

The concentric circles on Dick’s right hip, looking like the Olympics symbol but there is about eight in total. The loops are Black, Grey, Deep Red, Bright Red, Green, Dark Purple, Bright Purple, and Yellow. Everyone giving their two cents on which circles belong to which member of the Batclan.

All of their respective superhero symbols finally finding a place on their bodies. Artemis with tiger stripes in the shape of arrows over her left shoulder. M’gann with a red X encompassed by a circle behind her left ear. Will declaring the cross hairs on his left shoulder blade represents his hero side the best.

… … …

Eventually Conner and M’gann make their way back to Happy Harbor and start their evening routine. M’gann shifting into night clothes, Conner brushing his teeth. Once in bed they spend some time admiring each other.

M’gann by tracing over the tattoo located on Conner’s palm. Happy that it is matches the ring currently on her finger. Connor gazing at the trail of flowers M’gann is trying out on her side.

They fall asleep that night hugging each other. Hands placed over their shared tattoos.

… … …

Kaldur drags Will back to his safehouse, for when he can’t find the energy to return to Atlantis, deeming him unable to get back to his own house safely with the amount he has drunk that evening. Besides, Lian is spending the night at her grandmother’s house showing off her latest ballet skills, and Will shouldn’t have to wake up alone after this drunken experience. As he proceeds to change Will into spare pajamas he has, and he notices the feathers lining his left leg. Will catches him staring and shares the story behind it. “It was after a mission on this Indian reservation. The mission wasn’t really that major but hey, its self-made.” Will doesn’t mention that it is similar to the one he had removed all those years ago. Kaldur smiles at that and proceeds to get ready himself.

When he returns from the bathroom Will gapes at him. Will is looking at the most intricate self- made he has ever seen. A cliff side hanging over a raging ocean with a small strip of beach.

“It is to symbolize that I love both Land and Water.” Kaldur softly explains while getting into a sleeping bag. They are both going to spend the night on the floor. Kaldur needs to be close by incase Will does something stupid in the middle of the night and Will so he doesn’t fall out of a bed on the way to the toilet in the late afternoon the next day.

“It’s magnificent!” Will exclaims and then passes out.

Kaldur continues to smile at his best friend on land while texting Wynnd that he will be returning home the following day. He gets a reply that he has better make it up to him and to be safe.

… … …

Artemis, Wally and Dick decide to crash in the Warehome for the night. The boys haven’t spent time together in a while and they really need it. It is hard for them to be Soulmates while living apart. Yes Artemis was still Wally’s girlfriend and hopefully fiancé now that he is back from the void/speedforce/whatever plane of existence that he was a previous resident of. No, Artemis is not bothered by this fact.

Anymore.

After the explanation that is. That Wally and Dick have this bond, that goes on forever and beyond words. They aren’t soulmates like the way that Conner and M’gann are. They aren’t dating or having sex with each other. It is more in a platonic sort of way. That’s how they explained it to her. That Wally is the only person in the whole world that understands Dick all the way through. Not just the hero side, or the rich kid, or the orphaned acrobat. He knows everything about him and sees him as a whole, and that took years and years to see that. Wally had to dig this up and Dick had to trust someone enough to finally be himself. His full true self. Their relationship has gone through so many ups and downs. Surviving one of them being ’dead’. Them being soulmates is only natural.

It took a while for the three of them to work it out once everything was revealed. Wally explaining to her and Dick that he loves her. He really does with all his heart, but that if Artemis isn’t able to accept the relationship he has with Dick then he is gone.

They shouldn’t have been so worried. Artemis got her own soulmate tattoo with Wally after they got accepted to Stanford. The same one Wally has on his right wrist is on her left. Artemis still didn’t fully understand at the time. Just relieved that she gets a part of Wally.

It isn’t until Wally ‘dies’ that she fully understood their relationship. The devastation that followed Dick around the following year was suffocating. His new habit of going dark for longer and longer periods was worrying. Artemis couldn’t stand it any longer and was finally able to bring Dick back and they started healing together.

So here she is now. Allowing her boyfriend to spend much needed alone time with his other soulmate. She finds extra blankets and pillows to make her bed in the room she claimed for the night.

… … …

In the second room Wally can’t stop looking at Dick. At the other half of the soul mark they share. Dick’s is on his left shoulder-blade. The phrase “I’m going” in a soft green, in the middle of blizzard of snowflakes. He nudges Dick to get his attention. Dick rolls over and is immediately drawn to his latest addition. Wally hates it and Dick kind of does and doesn’t at the same time.

“Stop looking at it.”

“I can’t. It kind of shouts look at me.”

“I am going to sleep with a glove on for now on if you don’t stop staring” Wally teases.

Dick can’t help but laugh at that mental image. “You so would not!”

“Oh yah wanna bet?” A rush of wind and bit of lightning follows that statement and Wally reappears with a glove over his hand. “There now I no longer glow.” He got it after coming back from the Speedforce. Marking the time he spent there and Wally doesn’t appreciate the constant reminder that he wasn’t around for his friends when they needed him.

“It doesn’t just symbolize the time you lost. Walls?” Wally just grunts in response. “The speedforce has helped you with your speed. You no longer run in pain and now you are even faster than Barry. You have the ability to manipulate the speed around you, something Barry and Bart are unable to do. Talk about asterous”

“I know Dick.” Wally readjusts, trying to find a comfortable position. “It’s still just weird that part of my hand glows in the dark. Glow in the dark tattoos is not common.” He then takes off the glove and looks really hard at the swirling glowing vortex on the back of his right hand.

“And speaking of not fully bad tattoos the one on your back is also a symbol of strength and compassion.” Wally points out. This has been a concept he has been trying to drill into Dicks head for a while. It’s taking some time.

“A black hole has no good meaning Wally. I’m a liar, keep secrets, and always dragging everyone into my own personal problems.” Dick huffs and turns over.

“So what that you will continue to keep secrets and tell lies? That is part of job description. You have the ability to keep people together. That is your strength. That is the symbolism.” Wally really hopes that Dick is understanding what he says. This soulmate this is complicated at times.

Dick turns over again facing Wally and stares straight into those green eyes. Wally stares back into the blue. “Fine, you win this round West. This debate isn’t over yet.” Wally is content with this conclusion but still senses some tension coming from Dick as he settles further into bed closing his eyes.

“Hey Dick.”

“mmmmm?”

“You know that if you’re going?”

“I’m going” Dick finishes smiling softly to himself. “I know Walls. Now go to sleep.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> List of everyone's tattoos and locations

Dick Grayson:

  * Circus Tent – Stomach
  * Trapeze – Left Upper Arm
  * Broken Cable – Right Upper Arm
  * Concentric Circles – Right Hip 
    * For Each Member of the Batclan
  * HAHA – Soles of Both Feet
  * Superhero Logo – Left Hip 
    * Nightwing Symbol
  * Soulmate Tattoo – Left Upper Shoulder-Blade 
    * “Im Going” in green font, surrounded by a snowy blizzard
  * Black Hole – Center of Back 
    * Like a space black hole



Artemis Crock:

  * Green Arrow – Right Upper Arm
  * Soulmate Tattoo – Left Wrist 
    * “Spitfire” In Silver with a Green Arrow Weaving Between Letters
  * Katana – Left Leg
  * Superhero Logo – Left shoulder 
    * Arrow Tiger Stripes
  * Cheshire Grin – Left Middle Back



Kaldur-ahm:

  * Eels – Both Arms
  * Sea Knife –
  * Aquaman Symbol – Center Back
  * Tula Mystic Markings –
  * Manta Helmet – Left Fin
  * Cliff Side with the Sea – 
  * Wynnd Mystic Markings –



Conner Kent:

  * Lex Luthor Logo – Head
  * Wolf – Right Leg
  * Sphere – Right Leg
  * Superman Symbol – Palm Left Hand
  * Soulmate Tattoo – Left Upper Chest 
    * Made of White Steel



M’gann M’orrz:

  * Butterfly – Left Shoulder
  * Logan Animal Sanctuary Logo – Right Hip
  * Brain – Behind Right Ear
  * Superhero Logo – Behind Left Ear 
    * Red X encased in a circle
  * Soulmate Tattoo – Right Shoulder 
    * Made of Kryptonite
  * Trail of Flowers – Side



Roy/Will Harper:

  * Trail of Feathers – Left Leg (removed)
  * Eagle – Back of Neck (removed)
  * Red Arrow – Left Shoulder to Wrist
  * Cherry Blossoms – Right Side
  * Cross Hairs – Left Shoulder Blade
  * Lian – Right Bicep
  * Trail of Feathers – Left Leg



Wally West:

  * Mini Volcano – Upper Right Chest
  * Bag of Chicken Whizzes – Lower Left Stomach
  * Microscope – Inner Left Ankle
  * Wally Flash Formula – Lower Back
  * Silver Lighting Tree – Right Leg 
    * (Uncle B Has Gold Lightning Tree)
    * (Bart has Yellow Lightning Tree)
  * Soulmate Tattoo Dick – Upper Right Shoulder Blade 
    * “If you’re going” in electric blue surrounded by an explosion
  * Helmet of Fate – Outside Left Ankle
  * Heart with Crown – Left Shoulder
  * Soulmate Tattoo Artemis – Right Wrist 
    * “Spitfire” In Silver with Green Arrow Weaving Between Letters
  * Inactivated Meta-gene – Left Leg
  * Glow in the Dark Vortex – Back Right Hand
  * Silver Lighting Tree – Right Leg connecting to Lower Back 
    * Eventually traveling all the way up his back and down to the fingertips of his left arm



**Author's Note:**

> [tumble](https://rayofsun936.tumblr.com/)


End file.
